Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-07-28
A NEW. INVENTION.
James Reilly, of,,spokane Falls. has . Pat
ented Plan to Obviate the Danger of Rail-
road Track Creeping.

James Reilly, of.spokane Falls. has Pat
ented Plan to Obviate the Danger of Rail-
road Track Creeping.
Helena has had the pleasure for the
past two days of entertaining Mr..
James Reilly, of Spokane Falls, who
has established his head quarters at
the Grand Central. Mr.. Reilly is on
bis way home from the east, where he
has made a somewhat lengthy stay,
bis business being the patenting and
introduction of an important device,
which bids fair to create small revo-
luton in railway circles. This inven-
ton is designed TO do away with that
old and hitherto unconquerable enc
my tc to the stability Of double track
lines of railroads known as Creeping
track 1t has been found that the
tendency upon lines Of railroad where
the travel is principally in one direc-
ton 10 for the accumulated gvibratory
energy Of moving trains TO gradually
move the rails longitudinally to such
an extent as to eventually tear them
from their fastenings. Upon the ST.
Louis bridge this evil has been man
ifested to such an extent as to necessi-
tate the relaying Of tracks repeatedly
in the course of q season. The only
remedy which has hitherto suggested
itself to engineers has been futile at
tempt to anchor the rails with such
solidity a. to preclude all possibility
d motion; an attempt which has SER
iously endangered the stability and
safety OF a number of important
bridge structures. Mr.. Reilly's at
tention was first called TO the matter
by the state Of affairs in the st. Louis
bridge, where the creeping averaged
about thirty inches per day. In
seeking a solution Of the prob
lem he cast aside all former
ideas upon the subject, and perfected
the device whose general adoption
will bring him golden harvest. The
rail, instead of being spiked solidly to
the ties, is held in q series OF clips,
while themselves immovable, allow Of
a free longitudinal motion OF the rail.
Between the ends Of each two rails 10
placed recoil block, whose construc-
ton contains the essence of the patent
able part of the invention. The train
in passing over the block exerts pres
sure upon ii in such q manner Us to
throw the movable rail back into its
original position, and so obviate the
tendency to creeping. The invention
has been exhibited to a number OF
eastern railway magnates, including
George Gould, of New York, by whom
II has been most favorably received.
Foreign patents have been applied for,
and the success OF the device promises
to be as great as 1t deserves.
Mr.. Reilly has about exhausted the
lead mine which was planted In bis
person some two years ago by q well
known newspaper man Of this city.
The mine was originally started and
given value by the sailing process
through the agency Of number ten
double-barreled shot gun in the expert
hands Of the newspaper man above al
luded to, and has been a permanent
source Of pleasure and amusement TO
its possessor ever since. Recently,
however, the deposit has exhausted,
only seven No. 1 shot having been ex-
tracted from Mr.. RS of leg during
the past six weeks by patient picking
with a darning-needle. Time hangs
somewhat heavy upon his hands now
that he is deprived of his former pas
time.-Independent